New Delhi, Feb 2 (PTI) Former captain Bishan Singh Bedi today questioned the efficacy of a two-Test series between India and South Africa and said Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men should have played at least one more match in the rubber.

"I think, a two-match series is not enough to test the mettle of the teams. I wish that there should have been three or five matches in the forthcoming series between India and South Africa," Bedi told PTI.

"Since both the teams are at par and the series is expected to produce some cut-throat contests, the number of matches should have been more. After all, it will not be the real test of the teams," added Bedi, who has played 67 Tests.

South Africa made a stuttering start to their tour of India after Abhishek Nayar's century helped the BCCI President's XI pile on the runs.

The home side reached 318 all out, before the tourists ended day one of the two-day game in Nagpur on 44 without loss.

There was some cause for satisfaction for Graeme Smith's men, especially after their start which saw them reduce the President's XI to 114 for six.

Abhinav Mukund (eight), Parthiv Patel (eight), Ajinkya Rahane (12), Rohit Sharma (20), Manish Pandey (43) and Cheteshwar Pujara (17) were all back in the pavilion at that stage, thanks largely to two wickets apiece from Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell.

But Nayar, who was out for exactly 100, with his 140-ball knock including 16 boundaries, and Shikhar Dhawan (70) put on 181 for the seventh wicket to lift their side.

The partnership was eventually broken when Dhawan was run out by Johan Botha with the score on 295, and the dismissal sparked a collapse, with Nayar the last man out when he was caught by Jacques Kallis off Morkel.

Seamer Morkel, one of 10 bowlers to be utilised by Smith at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, ended with the best figures of three for 24 in 7.4 overs, while Parnell claimed three for 66 in 13.

Dale Steyn (one for 17) was also tidy, while the other wickets went to Botha (one for 44) and Kallis (one for one).

South Africa's response was a brisk one and they will resume the second and final day with Smith on 30 and Ashwell Prince on 13.

Spinners trouble South Africa after Amla and Kallis post half-centuries

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (CP) – 1 hour ago

NEW DELHI — Middle-order batsmen Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis scored half-centuries Wednesday as South Africa's two-day warmup game against the Indian Cricket Board President's XI ended in a draw in the central city of Nagpur.

Amla top-scored with 72 and Kallis made 63 before they both retired to provide the lower order some batting practice ahead of the opening Test that begins Saturday in Nagpur.

Captain Graeme Smith (45) and his opening partner Ashwell Prince (42) were the other major contributors in South Africa's first-innings total of 354.

The Indian Cricket Board President's XI was bowled out for 318 on Tuesday and play stopped at the end of South Africa's innings.

Young Indian spinners Piyush Chawla and Ravichandran Ashwin caused problems for the touring side's lower-order batsmen.

It's a battle for the top Test slot
Sandeep Dabhekar, TNN, 2 February 2010, 01:33am IST

NAGPUR: It is clear that on this crucial tour of India, Graeme Smith wants his focus firmly on the team's goal. At the same time, he doesn't want his vision to get blurred by the thoughts of glory that will come his way if he triumphs.

So it wasn't surprising to see the South African skipper talking about taking away the No. 1 mantle from India in one breath while in the next saying that ranking was not really an issue. After all with the series being billed as the fight for World Test championship, Smith wants to protect his team from getting swayed by the hype.

"There has been a lot of build-up to these Tests, lot of hype. India now holds the mantle of being the no. 1 in the world and it's a credit to the way they have played. But we have come here to play better than them and hopefully take that away from them. So that's something that we are excited about and it's good for the game," Smith told the media on Monday.

Having said that, he stressed that his team was not bothered about the numero uno status. "We have come over to India to play good cricket, focus on our own game. We know if we can perform to our levels and our standards then we will be able put India under a lot of pressure."

With Rahul Dravid being ruled for two weeks due to a broken jaw, Smith felt it would to hurt India. "They have got quality players still there. But to lose a player like Dravid... it is very difficult to replace a player like that."

Smith also made no bones about the fact that hosts India would start favourites in the two-Test series. "Any time you come to India, it's always tough."

The skipper downplayed former coach Micky Arthur's resignation.

No security concerns

Dismissing security concerns expressed by Australian and New Zealand players involved with IPL, Smith said his team had no problems about visiting India.

"I have been fortunate to come to India lot of times and, hopefully, I will be coming back many more times. It's a great opportunity for us to come and play in the IPL."

Nagpur, Feb 4 (PTI) Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma was called in as cover for VVS Laxman for India's first Test against South Africa as the stylish Hyderabadi batsman is yet to recover fully from the finger injury he suffered in Bangladesh.

Laxman had suffered the injury while fielding during the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong last month. Even though the right-hander is expected to play the first Test against South Africa starting here on Saturday, the team management took no chance and pencilled in Rohit as cover.

Laxman had skipped the team's fielding practice session yesterday and also did not bat at the nets.

Rohit captained the Board President's XI in a two-day tour game against South Africa here, which ended in a draw.

The Mumbaikar, however, could not shine in the match, managing just 20 runs.

Nagpur, Feb 6 (PTI) Their 285-run stand rescued South Africa from disaster before putting them in a comfortable position and centurions Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla today said the visitors are now well set to post a huge total against India in the ongoing first Test here.

South Africa were six for two in the seventh over of their innings but a 285-run stand for the third wicket between Kallis and Amla saw the visitors end the day on 291 for two with both the batsmen unbeaten on 159 and 115 respectively.

"It was a good batting track. In the first hour the ball did something and unfortunately we lost two quick wickets but after that me and Amla could build a big partnership and carried the bat through the day," Kallis said after the first day's play.

"The message from the dressing room was keep going till the end (of the day).

Jacques Kallis hit back with a splendid century to revive South Africa on the day one of the first Test against India in Nagpur.

Zaheer Khan had given India the edge with early breakthroughs in the morning, but Kallis, with Hashim Amla lending solidity at the other end, helped lift the visitors to a position of strength.

Kallis was unbeaten on 120 and Amla was batting on 60, the pair having added 187 in an unbroken stand for the second wicket as South Africa reached 193 for two at tea.

The Test between the two top-ranked teams began in the worst way possible for the home side with VVS Laxman being ruled out and Rohit Sharma - picked as cover for the injured Laxman - also suffering an injury during the morning practice session.

However, Zaheer got India off to a bright start with the ball, snaring Ashwell Prince with a bouncer in his third over and extracting captain Graeme Smith in his next. Televisions replays showed the ball had come off the arm-guard as Prince attempted evasive action, but umpire Ian Gould had already upheld the appeal.

There was no doubt with Smith's dismissal for six, Zaheer rattling the stumps with a delivery that nipped back off the seam. That left the Proteas on to six for two, but India's success ended there as Kallis joined Amla at the crease.

The duo were cautious at the start and India's specialist spinners Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra both had numerous shouts for leg before turned down.

Runs came at a trickle in the first hour - the first boundary was struck in the 10th over when Amla lashed Ishant Sharma past point - but Kallis accelerated smoothly, hammering Mishra for boundaries in successive overs and clubbing Harbhajan for a four and a six early in his innings.

Both batsmen were hardly troubled in the afternoon session and Kallis steadily encroached on a century, eventually raising his 34th 100 in Test cricket with a single off Harbhajan to fine leg. Only Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting have more centuries.

Amla then swept Harbhajan for a single to raise his 17th Test half-century, the Proteas all the while growing in strength.

SA in the drivers seat here. But i think the wicket is really dead. Nothing in there for the bowlers. Zaheer did well early which means the first hour tomorrow morning will be important and india as to strike early. A mini collapse is always on the cards after a big partnership. India has to look to restrict the Proteas to about 400 and then reply strongly.

NAGPUR, India — South Africa put match strategy ahead of chasing records as it declared its first innings at 558-6 on day two of the second Test against India on Sunday.

The total was five runs short of South Africa's biggest ever score against India, while Hashim Amla was left stranded on 253 not out - 24 runs short of the highest ever score by a South African batsman. That record remains with the man who made the declaration, captain Graeme Smith.

The declaration was intended to give South Africa's bowlers a shot at a wicket in twilight at the end of the day, but India's openers got through the four overs and finished the day at 25/0. Virender Sehwag was on nine and Gautam Gambhir was 12 not out.

Amla recorded his maiden Test double century, surpassing his previous highest score of 176 versus New Zealand in 2007. The 27-year-old, with the pronounced beard as a testament to his Muslim faith, batted for 675 minutes, facing 473 balls and striking 22 fours.

"It is a great feeling to be able to score a double century," Amla said. "Our game plan was the same like that of Saturday - to bat well and put the team in a better position."

He survived a chance when on 149, dropped by Subramaniam Badrinath at forward short leg.

While Amla reached the double ton, Jacques Kallis fell short yet again and appears destined to go through his fine career without reaching the rare mark.

Kallis was out for 173, caught bat-pad by Murali Vijay at short leg off Harbhajan Singh. He and Amla put on 340 runs for the third wicket - the highest third-wicket stand ever scored in India and the biggest in Test cricket since the same pair put on 330 versus New Zealand in 2007.

Kallis faced 351 deliveries and hit fifteen boundaries and two sixes.

Amla did surpass A.B. de Villiers record for the highest score by a South African against India, which had stood at 217. The pair put on 108 runs for the fourth wicket.

De Villiers made a breezy 53 off 88 deliveries before he fell to the guile of part-time bowler Virender Sehwag. He failed to reach the flight of a delivery and succeeded only in getting a thick edge to Badrinath at point. He hit four boundaries.

Jean-Paul Duminy (9) went soon after, missing an attempted sweep shot and being adjudged lbw to Singh (2-145), even though replays suggested the ball would have passed over the stumps.

Mark Boucher, no stranger to the conditions as an Indian Premier League player, contributed 39 before trying to hoist a Zaheer Khan ball from outside off stump to the leg-side boundary and delivered a catch to Amit Mishra at cover.

Khan was the pick of the India bowlers with 3-96.

Gambhir and Sehwag will carry an added responsibility for India's reply, given the injuries to the side that mean the normally strong batting lineup is without Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and V.V.S. Laxman.

Nagpur: If February 7, 2010 could be as fruitful for bowlers as was November 7, 2008! The venue was the same and that, too, was the second day of a Test — the last one in the series against Australia.

After the Indians had dominated the first day, a then unknown entity by the name of Jason Krejza snared five wickets in 26 balls to halt the march of the hosts.

Alas! History, on Sunday, was in no mood to repeat itself as South Africa sent India on the leather hunt, before declaring at 558 for six on the second day of the first Test for the Jaypee Infratech Cup, in neighbouring Jamtha.

At close, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men were 25 without loss after four overs. Gautam Gambhir (12 not out) and Virender Sehwag (9 not out) were at the wicket. But the stage, quite clearly, is set for the bowlers, at least the tweakers, to make the batsmen dance to their tune.

Unfortunately, from India’s point of view, a soft-spoken South African tuned his innings to such perfection that Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Co., by the end of the day, appeared clueless.

Hashim Amla, resuming at his overnight score of 115, remained unbeaten on 253, his first double century. Studded with 22 boundaries, his 675-minute stay at the wicket ensured Graeme Smith a good night’s sleep, and robbed Dhoni of that.

After his overnight partner, Jacques Kallis, was dismissed for 173, it was imperative for the visitors that Amla held fort. He did.

However, had Murali Vijay held on to a sitter at forward short-leg when Amla was on 149, things could have been different. Also, in the very next delivery, an attempted glance kissed the edge of the bat and Dhoni failed to glove a difficult chance down the leg side.

On a track that offered considerable turn, along with occasional bounce, the Indian spinners were disappointing. Amit Mishra (0/140), however, was unlucky to miss the edge on a number of occasions in spite of doing everything right. Harbhajan Singh (2/166), by his standards, was as bland as a delicious dish without salt.

The umpires, too, denied the Indians a few leg before appeals, which looked good.

The day started with expectations — while for Dhoni and Co. wickets were the most sought after commodity, the Proteas, most certainly, were praying for the longevity of Kallis and Amla at the crease. Neither side could complement their hopes with appropriate action.

India managed just one wicket in the pre-lunch session as Kallis walked back to the pavilion lasting 61 balls on the day. His rich list of 34 Test centuries from 229 innings could have been wealthier had there been a double hundred beside his name.

With Sunday’s miss, the South African all-rounder is now second to Mike Atherton in the list of most innings played without scoring a double century. The former England captain heads the list, having played 235 innings.

Kallis, having survived a strong leg before appeal off Mishra, succumbed to one from Harbhajan that spun sharply. The bounce surprised him as the bat-pad catch was pouched by Vijay at forward short-leg. His 419-minute stay comprised 15 boundaries and two sixes.

Centuries from Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar put India in pole position on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens.

Sehwag hit a brutal 165 and Tendulkar made 106, the duo adding 249 for the third wicket to put the home side on course for a decent, if not massive, first-innings lead.

The visitors, who were bowled out for 296 inside the first four overs of the day, struck back late on as India finished on 342 for five when bad light forced an early closure.

VVS Laxman was batting on nine and with him was nightwatchman Amit Mishra on one, India having extended their lead to 46 when stumps were drawn.

The home side had begun the day in the ascendancy, Zaheer Khan trapping Wayne Parnell in front with the final delivery of his first over.

Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir began India's reply in brutal fashion, the opening duo plundering South Africa's new-ball attack as they amassed 73 in just over nine overs. However, the Proteas were handed a huge slice of fortune when Gambhir was run out following a rare mix-up with Sehwag.

Sehwag briefly lost momentum and South Africa had the door ajar with the wicket of Murali Vijay (seven), who was softened with a barrage of short-pitched deliveries before Morne Morkel eventually induced the edge as the batsman attempted an unconvincing push off the front foot.

Tendulkar joined Sehwag in the middle and, after guiding India to 97 for two at lunch, the experienced duo dominated the afternoon session - Sehwag reaching his 19th Test century with his 16th boundary.

The two batsmen continued their assault in the final session and Tendulkar, who had curbed his strokeplay considerably as he approached 100, eventually got there for the 47th time in Test cricket. However, both players were removed in quick succession towards the end of the day.

JP Duminy dismissed Sehwag in his first over, while Paul Harris snapped up Tendulkar in the following over. Dale Steyn then bowled Subramaniam Badrinath (one) with reverse swing, those late blows helping South Africa stay in touch.